Help for the HolidaysBy Charlotte J. Nash, ChairmanGwinnett County Board of Commissioners

Everyone I know seems to get very busy as the holidays approach – and this year is no exception. Sometimes all it takes is the eager face of a child or the gratitude of a senior to remind us that gifts of time and attention are far more satisfying and rewarding than any gift we can buy.

Every drop of water is preciousBy Charlotte J. Nash, ChairmanGwinnett County Board of Commissioners

One-hundred seventy-six gallons every day – that’s how much water the average single-family home in Gwinnett County used last year. Our source is Lake Lanier on the Chattahoochee River, which provides water to 60 percent of Georgia’s population.

Help clear up the FOGBy Charlotte J. Nash, ChairmanGwinnett County Board of Commissioners

Pouring a little bacon grease down the drain may not seem like a big problem, but every little bit adds up and can create major blockages in sewer lines. Fats, oils and grease, known as FOG, cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to residential property in Gwinnett every year. Property owners are responsible for cleaning up sewage overflows on their property.

SPLOST: Making good use of sales tax penniesBy Charlotte J. Nash, ChairmanGwinnett County Board of Commissioners

Gwinnett residents have seen the benefits of SPLOST, or special purpose local option sales tax, ever since the state legislature gave us the option to ask voters to support it nearly three decades ago. In fact, Gwinnett voters have approved nine of 10 proposed programs, most recently by a 58 to 42 percent margin. The new SPLOST sales tax program took effect this past April when the previous one ended.